Apples of Our Eyes
by Sombereyes
Summary: They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and when Natsuki and Shizuru begin repeating past mistakes, Saeko and Suzume have to come to terms with the facts of their lives. It's messy, and not always perfect, but it is theirs to live. Two families become one at last, when lies come clean, and confessions mend old wounds.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Really, REALLY on an Ah, My Goddess kick right now, but that said, I still love Mai HiME/Mai Otome. Today, my writers group and I were outside all afternoon, (in the sprinkling rain no less) playing with yo-yo's and cooking hotdogs over an open pit with sticks. We were throwing around inane ideas that we think about in passing, writing in passing, but just haven't done yet. It was fun, but it got thinking that I really wanted to work with another family style fiction…

Warning: Saeko (Natsuki's mother in HiME) is being paired with one my OC's for this fan fiction. ….SaekoXSuzume… Also, this is very POV heavy at the start, but not throughout…

Pairings include: Natsuki/Shizuru, Saeko/Suzume, Nao/Mai...and maybe others.

I soooo without further delay do not own Mai HiME…thank god…

**Apples of Our Eyes**

Some people might look at my life and find it to be quite uncouth. I don't have a retort for that, a reason, or, even sound advice in which to give. I've thought, on more than one occasion, that I'd eventually regret my decisions. Thankfully, that has yet to be determined. As it stands now, I'm not a woman plagued with my trials, nor a poster child for mistakes best not to be made…although, I will admit, there are times my life leaves me lost for words, this circumstance isn't one of them.

After all, there is absolutely nothing better than tangling oneself within the heartfelt embrace of another.

Alas, I speed ahead of myself. My confession lacks propriety, perhaps, but, it is mine to have. So, I shall begin in the most simplistic way that I can…without hiding behind falsehoods, I've done quite enough of that already. Make no mistake, it isn't that I'm lying, far from it in fact. It's just that I often choose to withhold particular information, from particular people. In many cases it's for the best, and in others, I fear the worst.

This isn't exactly an easy thing to explain, although, I've endured a plethora of things far worse…anyway, let's begin, shall we? It started a long time ago…when love was something fleeting to me.

You see, we were both young mothers.

Clearly, we were lonely, even though we were both quite capable women individually. In our respective fields of interest, we were not to be outdone simply due to gender normality. Even if the men dominated both of our respective careers, it didn't dissuade us. I suppose, that's what bound us together. Predispositions side, and in spite of homoerotic tendencies, we were not, and still are not, the type of women to be underestimated. We could make it on our own easily enough, though truth be told, who would really want that? The loneliness of wondering how, or why, or when someone else might come along.

I didn't, and neither did she.

At the time, I was in my early twenties and pushing my way through a messy divorce. It l left me angry at my ex-husband in more ways than one. I doubt I could have made a list of all of the issues we had, at least not at the time. He was insufferable, and I couldn't figure out why…why had everything gone so wrong? I couldn't figure out, and truthfully, that was a shock to my system. Everyone told me how smart I was, but, I'd felt incredibly naive.

The idea of love had to make sense to me, and, when I was with him it just didn't.

I was so used to knowing everything, to having solid answers, but, I didn't have any for him…and he didn't have any for me, either. Somewhere around being married, our respective jobs, and raising our daughter, our relationship just seemed to fall apart. He was the sort of man that liked a sense of power and authority…I was the type of woman not to give a damn about what he claimed he needed.

I suppose I wasn't proper marriage material.

One day he put his best suit, walked out, and he didn't look back…not even to say goodbye to Natsuki, who was old enough to toddle towards the door and wait for him to come home. He never did. In fact, all through our divorce I tried, desperately so, to get him to involve himself in Natsuki's life.

She adored him so, and I wanted her to have a father, even if he was a horrible excuse for a husband…it goes without saying, that he was also not a good father, either…though, it wasn't for a lack of trying. It was for a lack of understanding her…and her needs. Natsuki's independent, you see. She's never been willing to take orders from anyone, though, sometimes you can sway her with a bit of sound advice.

Anyway, dealing with Natsuki is like dealing with a minefield, you must tread carefully with her.

That was something her father, who's arrogance knew no bounds, never could seem to understand. As a single parent, cooped up in his work, he had no idea what it meant to really sire his offspring…and Natsuki was always a rebellious little one. He and I went our separate ways, of course, after several arguments on the matter.

I became Natsuki's primary provider, and, her only one. I even refused child support. I'd always told myself I'd never get involved in another ill-fated romance again. Those were famous last words, indeed.

Now, you see, Suzume's situation is complicated, even to this very day. It always has been, and always will be. She is a married woman, that's right…married. She's merely dissatisfied in her relationship. Her husband has mistresses, and from what I can understand, their wedding had been arranged when they were fresh out of high school. Suzume loves him to some degree, I think. However, you can only care for a person so much before you start to break. From what I gathered then, to what I understand now, they only stayed together for the sake of their daughter, Shizuru.

It keeps their relatives happy as well, so, while they may be husband and wife, they're not lovers.

When I'd first met the woman, it became quite clear to me, they weren't monogamous. That was for damn sure. At the time, knowing that detail bothered me deeply, but now, it's simply a fact of life. I don't question it, I've no need…nor do I bother to oppose the idea, considering it doesn't exactly bother me in the way one might think…

However, that being said, it does make some matters difficult…I digress, the man she's bound to, is of little consequence. Anyway, it was summer vacation when we'd met in a coffee shop that we both frequented.

I remember that, because I'd seen her around before, but, not like that day. Her caramel colored skirt was just a little tighter than it had to be, coming just above the knee. The clicking of her matching heels is what actually caught my attention, and when she stood behind me in line, I couldn't stop gazing. Her fawn hair was crimped in gentle waves that framed her face, and her eyes were hidden by slim rimmed black shades.

"Can I help you?" She'd ask me that humid morning, perching those selfsame glasses atop her head in such a way, that my mouth ran dry. I'd wondered idly, if she'd noticed my gawking, or, if she simply felt in a mood to talk. I gulped heavily, because I was so used to seeing the woman in very conservative clothing, and never in something that showed off her shapely assets. Suzume is both well endowed, and courageous enough to show it, when she seeks the attention…that day, oh boy, did she want it.

Shyly, I turned away…when it was my turn in line, I ordered the same cappuccino I ordered every morning, and then I left. I went to work, came home to my two bedroom apartment, cooked dinner for my daughter and I…and life went on as if Suzume's words had never even reached my ears…but, it was already too late. I'd heard the voice of an angel. I couldn't get that honey-like melody out of my head. Trust me, it isn't the kind of thing a person can forget…

I tried.

Day after day, we seemed to arrive at the same shop around the same time, with our children in tow. Normally, I was on my way to work, and Suzume, she was on her way to take her child to the nearby summer school, for purely social interaction. At first, all we exchanged were sideways glances. Murmured greetings were something we equally swept under the rug.

Somewhere along the line, that changed. Though, I can't recall when, or even how…it was a very slow, gradual thing.

One wayward chat would lead into another, and eventually, we were arranging play dates. My child, Natsuki was six at the time. Her child, Shizuru was seven. We had a lot in common, so, it only seemed natural to start sharing our Saturday afternoons in the parks together. I didn't think anything of it, it seemed so normal to have her by my side.

Our contrasts were a great many…but, I didn't mind that.

I, with my sweet and creamy coffee, and her with that infuriatingly bitter tea. I would read the newspapers, and she would glance over steamy paperbacks, ones with lewd images on the cover. I would answer Natsuki's scrapes with antiseptic bandages and a pat on the head, and she would coddle her daughter every chance she got. My glasses were prescription, hers merely fashion. I was conservative in my choice of outerwear, and she danced on the borderline.

Professional, yet, pleasantly erotic in the way it teased casual onlookers.

We both could agree on a few things. For example, we wanted nothing to do with the men in our lives, and yet, for the sake of our children, we both put up with their increasingly bothersome antics. Still, we wanted to be noticed, and, we both admitted that we could feel the cold seeping into our respective beds at night. We didn't want to be tied down, but, we wanted warmth. We didn't want to answer to anyone, but, we missed the echoing voice in phone calls.

We wanted to feel needed…to feel loved.

We also slowly agreed that there wasn't any shame in admitting that. Darker sides, deeper topics…eventually, they all found at least someplace in our constant discussions. I craved companionship, she craved passion, and together we both hinted at the idea that there might actually be something near attraction between the two of us…I remember when that final string snapped, and along with it, every ounce of sanity I'd had.

That Saturday was like every other Saturday.

The kids played in the park, we sat and talked. Together, in my kitchen, we cooked dinner. Natsuki, true to form, slathered everything in mayo…she probably couldn't taste the chicken anymore, not by the time she was done…Shizuru lamented the entire time, unsure of why Natsuki would do such a silly thing….crinkling her nose in disgust. Suzume and I laughed, as we always seemed to do. In the evening, we made a point to watch movies, and when they'd finally fallen asleep, things took a turn for the obscure.

It started with the dishes…and a kiss that was only meant as a joke…a tease from Suzume that went too far.

It ended in my bedroom, her back pressed against the nearest wall we could find. Our lips locked, as my hands slid underneath her tight skirt, the fabric straining against my hand as I caressed her upper thigh. It wasn't a temptation I'd indulged in before. I'd always wondered what another woman felt like, but, I never imagined that I'd actually bring one home. I never assumed I'd have the confidence to press her body close to mine as I slid off her white, suds dampened blouse.

I was a woman, the same as her…and I'd only ever been with a man.

I knew only the hard rigidness of Natsuki's father, and he'd always taken control. He was a very passionate, yet stony man. In bed, he was always in charge, and I'd never thought to question that…so, I knew nothing of this power, of feeling so utterly maddened by need. Her hands roughly ran through my hair, pulling it out of the bun I'd had it in to keep my neck cool. Every time she so much as caressed by back, I felt my core tense, and knew what she was doing to me…goading me, but, I was already too far gone to mind it.

If I'm honest…I hadn't needed the provocation, I was far too willing to sleep with the woman, even if she was married…

My glasses had fallen on the floor, in a pool of our clothes, but I didn't care. I wanted to strip her bare, and feel that heat that I knew only a woman could make. My hands were shaky, my mouth unbearably dry, when my fingers had finally found their way to her slick core. Her voice was soft, smoky, as she hitched loudly from my touch.

"Shh, or you'll wake the girls." I recall murmuring, kissing my way down her exposed neck, feeling her liquid heat on my palm as it drenched my fingertips, her hips rolling in a steady tempo to my every command.

"Saeko." She breathed deeply, her nails digging down my back as she nipped into my shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to keep quiet. It was bliss, and I wanted to hear more of her, to taste her, to feel her thighs quake as they wrapped tightly around me. "Gods, Saeko." I wanted her to keep calling my name in that shaky, heated voice…and deep down, I half wanted Suzume to return the effort, I craved her touch…it was nearly painful, but, I also liked that feeling…knowing she was rendered so helpless, and wanting to be so.

I wanted her…all of her.

The bed squeaked as we moved, and I prayed to god I didn't wake our sleeping daughters in the next room. Christ only knew what would happen if I did, but another stifled moan against my shoulder told me she was close, and I could feel her grip tighten around me, white knuckled and trembling. She threw her head back, eyes closed as she bit her lower lip, and I redoubled my efforts, knocking the nightstand as my impassioned haze took over. I knew I'd have bruise on my leg the next day, but it was just a fleeting thought.

Her soft, large breasts bounced beautifully as her climax finally washed over her. It made her breathless, as my name slipped from her lips one last time in complete fractured awe. It was then that I took noticed, and I'd wondered what I done. This beautiful woman was bare before me, and I was terrified…afraid to hurt her, and be hurt by her in return, I didn't move…I was afraid we might have woken up the girls in the next room…and I also feared that we didn't…and that we could somehow perpetuate this completely insane notion of sleeping together.

…I was also afraid that she might not want to…

She looked into my eyes, and before I knew it, her lips were on mine, and I was the one with my back pressed into the bed. I swallowed hard then, because I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that she had every intention of gambling in this horrendous game…but…it wasn't a game anymore…and, our Saturday evenings were never the same again…

Funny thing is, that was ten years ago...and now, I find Natsuki suffering through that same, confusing struggle with Shizuru. Like mothers, like daughters…


	2. Chapter 2

**Apples of Our Eyes 2**

The drapes blocked out the dusty, clouded sky, as the morning called the sun out from hiding. Still, it was not as dark as pitch, and both of the women could see perfectly fine without blinding lights. The outside goings on could have ceased to exist, and the women in bed would not have cared. Yet, exist it did, and it called to them.

"Damn." Saeko cursed, at the interruption, tormented by a lack of nearness when she dearly needed it most.

"Too good to be true." Suzume agreed as she licked her lips and swallowed hard. "I knew it. It's always something recently, isn't it?"

The alarm quietly sounded as Saeko reached over, turning it off and looking at the green numbers that only served to annoy her. "As if we already didn't have enough time together." She hadn't been sleeping, far from it in fact, but the clock had ruined the moment, and she wouldn't get it back now. She blew a frustrated breath between her lips, feeling the euphoric tingling die down into an ache that begged to be satiated, alas, it wasn't meant to be. "If you don't demand next Sunday off, I'm going to scream."

"Tell me about it." Suzume didn't like it one bit, but she dragged herself away from the naked scientist beside her. "It'll only get worse come golden week." She went on to say, pulling her panties up her long, slender legs. "The girls have that school fair, and you know that we'll get stuck helping the PTA."

"Oh, wonderful." Reaching for her glasses, Saeko sat up stretching tiredly. "I completely forgot about that." Saeko hissed, angry at herself.

"You'd forget everything but that lab of yours, if you didn't get kicked out every night." Suzume admonished gently. "Sometimes, I wonder how we find the time to be together like this at all." Then, with a lamenting sigh, she pulled out one of her skirts that she kept hidden in the back of Saeko's closet. "It would be easier if we didn't have to hide things."

"Don't you think we should just tell them already?" Saeko asked, eyeing her lover as the woman dressed, picking up scattered garments from the floor, one by one, to put them in the hamper. "Natsuki's already giving me odd looks. She suspects something, I'm sure of it."

"I would, if I didn't think I'd give Shizuru a total and complete heart attack." Then with pause, she nipped gently at her lower lip. "Shizuru may not seem like it, but she's very impressionable, not to mention fragile right now…especially because of Natsuki." Suzume sighed, a bit fed up with all of the hiding. "They're just teenagers, and I'd hate to think Shizuru might take this to her father. He wouldn't help her to understand it, as much as he would use this as a good excuse to explain away his actions."

"Can't have that, now can we." Saeko muttered, her feelings on Suzume's husband were clear. "He still thinks you're with another man, doesn't he?"

"He doesn't ask, and I surely don't say." It was that truth, along with one other, that made things so complicated. "It's better to be this way. You know just as well as I do that it would outright mortify the two of them."

"Why do you think I wanted to wait until they were in high school?" Saeko muttered, putting a cigarette between her lips, lighting up. "It's not my fault they decided to complicate matters. God I hate teenagers sometimes."

"Don't smoke." Suzume chastised indignantly, putting it out for Saeko, instead kissing her on the lips instead. It was slow, soothing, and meaningful, and as she pulled away, Suzume's soft, smoky voice found purchase. "If they knew what we've been doing for the past ten years, they probably would react negatively."

"You have a gift for understatement." That caused Saeko to smile just a tiny bit. "I think Natsuki would crawl under her bed and hide for the rest of her life. I mean, Jesus, she's already rebelling enough as it is."

"Well, it isn't as if telling them would change anything…even if Natsuki does become just a bit flustered over it." Suzume knew, out of the two teens, it was Shizuru who would likely take the news better, but, that didn't mean she would take it well. "They don't have to know right now anyway. We keep busy schedules, and so do they…let's wait until they're adults, if only so that they can deal with it however they see fit at that point."

"It won't let up any time soon, will it?" Saeko asked then, a bit of a frown on her face.

"Young love is a fleeting thing." Suzume shrugged, she hadn't given any deep thought to it, unlike Saeko, who worried constantly. "They're probably just looking for some time to themselves too."

Saeko shook her head. "Natsuki's denying it."

"So is Shizuru." Suzume agreed. "Don't tell me you believe them."

"They wouldn't lie." Saeko said, but then pause. "Would they?"

"Saeko really now." Suzume laughed. "It's nearly a given…all of the little signs are there."

"They've been keeping themselves civil I hope." Saeko nearly growled.

"As civil as teenagers can be, when they're figuring out a budding relationship." Suzume said placidly. "I haven't noticed any changes in Shizuru's linens, if that's what you mean…although, she's perfectly old enough to wash them herself. It's anyone's guess if she washes them when I'm not looking."

"The same can be said about Natsuki's, although, she's so shy about everything. I can't get her to talk to me about it." Saeko sighed, she knew she had to get up and get dressed too, but she really wished she could just lay in bed. "I tried to give her some dental dams the other day, just in case, and she completely flipped her lid."

"Then you wonder why Natsuki gets so cranky when you bring up her relationship." Suzume chuckled at the glare that earned her. "Like mother, like daughter."

"I could say the same about you and Shizuru." Saeko murmured, the clock beeped at her again, and she actually managed to avoid the snooze button this time. "I can't help but worry about Natsuki, she's so impulsive when she's in a bad mood. It seems like she's crabby all the time now."

"There's no reason to be worried Saeko…in fact, that's probably where a lot of her temper comes from." Suzume laughed. "They'll be fine."

"They're young." Saeko returned. "I don't want them doing anything stupid."

"At least they won't get pregnant." Suzume said, earning a mild groan of exasperation from her dark haired lover.

"Don't make me think about that!" Saeko shuttered. "It'll give me nightmares." There was something distant, wistful, and entirely beautiful about the woman before her as she considered something. "What?"

"Have you ever wanted another baby?" Suzume asked her.

"Not particularly, no." Saeko said, a bit more quickly than she perhaps should have. "Haven't had the time. Natsuki's hell in a hand basket as she is, besides, it isn't like I've kept a man around all these years. There's no reason to even consider it." Confused, she scowled. "That was out of the blue, should I be worried about you instead?"

"My husband hasn't touched me in well over a decade." The fawn haired woman scoffed. "You know just as well as I do, that probably won't ever change." Suzume sighed quite bitterly as she thought about that. "I'm just lamenting, that's all." Suzume shook her head, digressing her momentary depression. "I have an empty nest, and an entirely disinterested husband. What's a woman like me supposed to think?"

"That your husband could use either a lobotomy, or a smack in the face, because he's got to be insane." Saeko told the woman. "You're beautiful Suzume…always have been, always will be." It was obvious, but Saeko still said it anyway. "Shizuru still needs you, she's young."

"She needs her nagging mother, about just as much as I need mine." They both knew the severity of that remark. Suzume hardly called the aging woman over the phone. "It's only a matter of time before Shizuru cuts me out of her life. It's bound to happen."

"Sweetheart, that's different." Saeko rolled her eyes. "Your mother tries to run your life at every turn."

"Shizuru probably thinks the same of me." Suzume replied, looking at her watch. "Though if I don't return home quickly, she'll likely assume far worse. If Natsuki's suspecting something's up, Shizuru is probably the one who noticed first."

"Damn kids." Saeko smirked.

…

Sunday mornings were god's gift those lazy people who refused to greet the crack of dawn, and since that happened only once a week for Natsuki, she refused to stir before the sun was high in the sky, declaring it the afternoon. Normally, she'd spend this one morning a week with her face blissfully crammed into the pillow. Slowly that was beginning to change, but not without a fight…especially not after a late night cram session.

"It's ten in the morning." Natsuki grumbled, not in the least bit amused when she felt her bed sink in. She knew who it was, and in two more hours, she'd be more than happy to greet the person with a kiss. For now, though, it was far too early for her liking. "Either lay down with me, or come back later." Natsuki muttered, any pretense of manners forgone for blunt simplicity.

Shizuru sighed. "You were up late studying again." The facts were strewn around the covers, the nightstand, and the calculator that had been kicked to the floor. The laptop on the other side of Natsuki's bed had unfinished essays to complete, and the math book had seen better days. The poor raven haired girl was even laying across a thick history book, and Shizuru knew Natsuki would ache something awful later. "Still having trouble in history?"

Natsuki grabbed the book from underneath herself, and pushed it to the floor. "Mom will kill me if I don't get good grades, you know that." Natsuki ranted, her face still glued to the pillow. "I need to ace my next three quizzes or I'm dead meat for all the class I've skipped out on. Problem is, I have no idea what chapter we're on, and Mai won't tell me…I ended up studying the entire front half of the damn book."

"Serves you right." Shizuru said with a smirk. "Next time, maybe you'll think before amassing so many detention slips."

"Why would I want to do that?" Natsuki asked, her voice still muffled. "Detention is overseen by the student council, it's the only way I get to have lunch with you on Mondays and Fridays."

Shizuru suppressed a grin. "As much as I love to spend time with you, I would also favor not having to be told that you skipped out on class." There was something too cute about the small noise that got stifled by Natsuki's pillow. "Just think how fond your mother would be about that note home."

"How many have you foraged so far?" Natsuki asked, lifting her head, her tired emerald eyes looking up at Shizuru.

"Only two, but that doesn't count the late arrival slips, which are well over six in any given week." Shizuru all but begged. "Don't make it any worse."

"Well, let me see how I feel about that tomorrow, when those stupid teachers yell at me again for taking the bike again….or Haruka, god help me if it's Haruka." Natsuki told Shizuru, her eyes hardly staying open as she put her face back down into the warm and fluffy feather pillow. "Now come cuddle with me…I'm not getting out of bed yet."

"I don't know…I think you really should wake up, or you won't fall asleep tonight." Shizuru said gently, using one single finger to draw tiny patterns and haphazard circles onto Natsuki's back. "What do I get in return?"

"Damn it Shizuru." Natsuki growled again, this time pulling her girlfriend down onto the mattress. She buried her face again, to cover herself from the sun that refused to go away. "Sleep…"

"Kiss me?" Shizuru asked then, earning a grumble in return as emerald eyes met hers. "Well, is Natsuki going to gawk, or is she going to give me what I've asked for?"

It took a few seconds to register that her girlfriend was actually in her arms as a blush crept across her cheeks. The door was wide open, and Shizuru laying now almost underneath her, she licked her lips. "Where's my mom?"

"Out." Shizuru replied. "She left some money for food on the counter, with a note saying she'd be home for dinner." Shizuru explained with a gentle smile. "Mine works until later this evening, so we have the entire day to ourselves."

"Uh-huh." Natsuki replied, the unintelligent response made by a mix of sleepy haze, and the fact Shizuru was rendering her into a pile of goo with the way her fingers were lightly toying the base of her neck, a sensitive spot indeed. She gave one more glance to the door, before Kissing Shizuru atop the forehead, the color on her cheeks deepening at the thought of doing the same to Shizuru's lips. "There, can I lay back down now?"

"I think we should go on a date." Shizuru said, still unwilling to be lazy.

Natsuki looked at the clock. "I haven't even gotten seven hours yet." She groaned but relented. "Where do you want to go?" She asked unhappily dragging herself out of bed.

"Natsuki should surprise me." Shizuru said with a beaming smile as the girl of midnight tresses rolled her eyes.

"I'm not good at that, so if the date sucks, it isn't my fault." Natsuki told her before closing the door to her walk in closet so she could get dressed in peace. In truth though, she had expected Shizuru to harass her to get out of bed, and as she pulled on a pair of jeans, she also pulled out her pass to get into the community center. There was always something going on there, and, she knew if little else, there was always the outdoor pool. She smirked at that, feeling a sense of pride in her choice, and, at the thought of Shizuru in a swimsuit.

Summer had just begun.


	3. Chapter 3

**Apples of Our Eyes 3**

They had spent their day at the community center, starting with laying around by the pool until early afternoon before meeting up with a few of their friends for a couple of games of putt-putt and a lunch comprised of the simple things they could get at the vending stand. By the time evening rolled around, it was just the two of them again. Shizuru wasn't a fan of the arcade, and Natsuki hated the atrium, so that left little else to do there. Most of the shops were closing, and the ones left open weren't appealing to teenagers by any means.

Natsuki looked into one of the big store windows, dresses as far as the eye could see on the inside, but nothing that interested her. Next window over was men's apparel, and Natsuki scoffed. "How much you want to bet Mai's going to drag her boyfriend into that place one day?"

"Tate isn't much for formalwear." Shizuru said with a soft laugh. "Although, neither are you."

"It's not that I don't like it, they just aren't all that comfortable." She said, pointing to a dress that looked far too tight, just to prove a point. "Like that one, how could someone even sit in that thing?"

"Put one on someday, and you'll find out." Shizuru said with a wink, as she pulled Natsuki along with her before her emerald eyes could stare at the sporting goods store, something she knew would keep Natsuki entertained for hours if it were open.

"I'd rather not." Natsuki told her, equally quick to bypass the fabric store, that was unfortunately still open, knowing Shizuru practiced the arts. Natsuki tried and failed to take any interest in most of those joys. They were just too docile for her, and she didn't have the sense of calm required for them. "We still have some time." Natsuki said quietly. "Want to go check out a movie?"

"If Natsuki wants." Shizuru smiled then. "Think anything decent is playing?"

"If you're asking if anything good is on, probably not…but they'll have some sort of chick flick that you'll be into." Natsuki shrugged. "If not, we can go pick one up at the rental store before we go back to my place."

…

The joys of motherhood were sometimes also the very reason to lament about it. She was happy Shizuru had a strong person to trust, and Natsuki was nothing if not fiercely loyal…however, she also had a tendency to do what she wanted, when she wanted. Shizuru was often willingly dragged along based on such whims, and although Suzume had to relent when relenting was due, she couldn't help but babysit the ticking clock all the same.

Much to her dismay, Saeko wasn't sharing her concern. "They'll show up." She had said in a quiet voice, her eyes on several papers before her. "Always do, sooner or later."

"I'm only concerned because it's so close to curfew….you seem distracted though. You're either stewing, or you're reading." Suzume's voice trickled over the phone. "I'm not sure which."

"What if they've found out?" Saeko asked, cradling the phone in between her ear and her shoulder while she toiled away over some file cabinets, she really needed a better distraction. "Natsuki's been acting strange recently, and her test scores have fallen over five percent in the last month."

"Stewing it is." Suzume said with a laugh. "Is it really so bad if they have?"

"Yes and no." The slightly quiet voice spoke, all traces of her usual serenity gone. "You have no idea how many probabilities there are, and unfortunately, I know I'm missing something."

"You're analyzing it, aren't you?" Suzume asked conspiratorially. "Saeko, if you keep doing that, you're going to be asking for trouble."

"Occupational hazard." Saeko groused unhappily. "Suzume, this is no laughing matter. I mean, have you even thought of what you would say to them in such an event."

"Many times." They'd had close calls in the past, and several times when they were sure they were going to be grilled about seemingly odd behavior. It had just never come, and such luck wouldn't grace them forever. "Every single time, it comes down to one thing…it's just how it is. I believe that's the most simple, and conclusive answer."

"Natsuki won't take that at face value." Saeko told her, knowing that to be true. "She wouldn't know how to deal with it, either."

"No, she probably won't. However, I know for a fact, she will be the one to internalize it. Natsuki's too sensitive about her own relationship, she won't press for questions." Suzume said then, knowing just how shy the Kuga women were. "Shizuru on the other hand…" Suzume trailed off with a sigh.

"Is just as brazen as you are, and bold enough to confront us." Saeko didn't like that, not one bit. "Remind me again, why haven't we nipped this in the butt yet?"

"Because as I recall, you have an aversion to coming out of the closet." Suzume said quite pointedly. An uncomfortable, pressing silence followed. Suzume would have to say something, but she found herself empty handed. "Natsuki doesn't blame you, Saeko."

"She should..." Saeko bit out. Bad memories, and difficult times played out in her mind. "She does, and unfortunately for her, I have nothing to say about it." She put down one of the books she had been studying. "For all I know, she could be right."

"That man walked out on both of you when she was merely a toddler." Suzume chided softly. "She can't blame you for his actions."

"She thinks I might have driven him away." Saeko explained, though she knew Suzume didn't actually need one. The words at least gave logic to what otherwise wasn't there, a hidden admission and little more. "Sometimes I really wonder if there isn't some form of truth to that." With a breath that released more stress than she first realized, she closed her eyes. "If I tell her I'm in a lesbian relationship, chances are, she'll take issue with it. She'll think I drove her father away intentionally. The problem is, in some ways that actually makes sense…"

Suzume rolled her eyes, even though she knew Saeko couldn't see it. "It was a failing marriage. You both drove each other away, Saeko, it happens. You can't protect Natsuki from everything…you've certainly let her learn hard lessons on her own in the past." Suzume reminded her lover, knowing better than anyone, that Saeko was the last person to ever coddle Natsuki in any way.

"For things she's done, I have no qualms about life kicking her around a bit. Her father is an entirely different matter." Saeko agreed darkly, nodding into the receiver. "He left, and that was my mistake…not hers. It's like you said, she was only a baby at the time. She pays for that, and I hate it."

"You're thinking too hard, relax a bit." Suzume laughed, taking note of the grumbling that she couldn't quite hear. "Don't make me come over there and force you to relax myself."

"That's hardly a punishment." Saeko heard the door to the apartment open and close, two sets of voice talking as they went into Natsuki's room, shutting the door behind them. "I found your daughter, by the way." Saeko told her lover dryly. "I'm probably going to keep her here, since I don't want them out wandering around late at night."

"Coffee?" Suzume's offhanded, sultry remark, was met with a soft chuckle.

"You read my mind." Saeko murmured in kind, warm tone in her voice as she hung up the phone.

…

If the Kuga women shared one thing in common besides their looks, it was their tendency to avoid difficult confrontations. Sometimes, they would skitter around a topic, or sometimes, even each other. They were both so good at avoidance, in fact, that there were often weeks on end when nothing would be said about an issue at all, until one, or both of them ended up breaking composure in favor of a shouting match.

Even if she wouldn't admit it, Saeko was thankful that both Suzume's and Shizuru's demure nature would only go as far as their tolerance level for the silent treatment…none at all…astoundingly enough, they could both get way with prying…and somehow, they could expertly divert rage, and quell unwanted emotions.

It baffled Saeko to no end, but, she assumed it was meant to be that way.

Natsuki was an independent girl, and Saeko normally saw it fit to not bother the easily annoyed teen. It was often wiser to not question things, and leave her to her own devices. Natsuki was quick to be on the defensive, and to hold a grudge…those were usually longstanding, and Saeko tried to avoid being on the receiving end of such treatment. It was easy enough to avoid, usually…

There were some mornings, however, that Natsuki's ire was already in full swing before breakfast. It was going to be one of those days again. Still, Saeko said nothing as her daughter came storming into the kitchen, a blush on her face so deep, Saeko wondered if this was another little tiff or not. If they were fighting, Shizuru didn't seem to show it, though she was hiding a giggle behind her hand.

"Morning, girls." Saeko greeted them. Natsuki only offered a sleepy half grunt of a reply as she all but dragged Shizuru out of the door with her, a bottle of soda and book bags in hand. "Bye, girls." Saeko muttered much less pleasantly. "What crawled up her ass so early this morning?" She asked to the woman sitting next to her.

"A better question would be if Shizuru pinched it, or something of the like." Having watched the entire exchange from her place at the table, behind the folds of her book, Suzume knew her smirk couldn't be seen. "Did you expect anything different to happen? It's only six in the morning. Natsuki isn't an early riser."

"No, I suppose not." Saeko agreed with a sigh, looking at her watch. "Though, Natsuki seemed awful cranky today."

"With Shizuru around?" Suzume laughed airily. "Who knows? She takes great joy in teasing Natsuki." The woman shrugged far too amused with herself, knowing just why Saeko coughed quietly under her breath. "Oh come now, I would think it was something playful…and we both know how that goes."

"I'll give you that. You and Shizuru are cut from the same cloth." Saeko sighed, quite used to Suzume's subtle, but very effective ways to turn people into living, breathing tomatoes in a matter of seconds. "My poor daughter has no idea what she's in for. The older you women get, the more you turn into dirty old men."

"You like it." Suzume smirked, her hand underneath the table trailing just a little too playfully up Saeko's inner thigh for comfort. "Both of you."

Saeko rolled her eyes, finding the point debatable. Instead of arguing the notion further, however, she expertly withheld her retort, knowing it was a battle she would lose. She lifted her coffee cup to her lips, before sighing. Then to stop that playful hand from its slow trajectory, she capture it in one of her own, giving it a kiss, before holding onto it. It was going to be a long day, and Saeko couldn't afford to be late to work today.

…

Mondays were always the worst. They were the first day of the school week, making it Natsuki's most hated day of all. It didn't help that she insisted on taking her bike, making quite a loud entrance of herself in the parking lot whenever she got the chance.

"KUUUGGGAAA!" And, like every Monday, all that served to do was harass the easily provoked blond known as Haruka. The self-appointed student committee member was leaning over her, trying at least, to be intimidating. With eyes that could quite possibly melt iron, the shouting continued. "I told you not to bring that thing on this property again!" She slammed her hand flatly on the desk, the loud slapping sound against the wood making the others in the room flinch. "Have you no mortal fiber?"

"Moral, Haruka." Shizuru corrected from behind her cup of tea as Yukino simply held her tongue, not even bothering to try.

"And you!" Haruka whirled around, pointing to the head of the student council herself. "You were on the back of that…that…thing!"

"Indeed, I was." Shizuru nodded, carefully putting her tea down. "Natsuki has a permit, and as long as she rides with someone who has a license, she's not breaking any laws." Shizuru, being older, had already acquired hers, but lacked a vehicle in which to drive, not that she was a fan of being behind the wheel in the first place. "Natsuki is a good driver…even if she is a speed demon."

"She goes tearing through the parking lot whenever she wants!" Haruka bellowed, to which Shizuru only ignored her again. "She speeds, and cuts corners whenever she gets the chance!"

Crimson eyes cut over to Natsuki. "Go to class, you're going to be late if you don't." As she signed a student pass, she turned her attention back to Haruka. "You can't yell at the students, Haruka, it doesn't set a good example. You may be an executive committee member, but you are also just a student yourself."

"You only say that because you are friends with that delinquent." Haruka huffed, crossing her arms in anger. "What kind of example do you think you set, Shizuru?"

"An open minded one, I'd hope." Shizuru responded. "Our job is to keep things civil in the school. We can only do that in a respectful atmosphere. We may take particular liberties and authority, but, the faculty still runs the school." Now that the morning's ruckus was over with, Shizuru pushed herself up from her chair, lingering that way for only moment as she let the headache she acquired drain out of her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must be going." Since she was the student council president, it only made since that she was expected to make an appearance in the halls before each bell rang.

Natsuki called it a privilege, Shizuru found it to be menial and degrading work. Still, she played her part well, greeting students with a kind, warm smile on her face. She chatted about topics she wouldn't normally choose to speak of, pretending to enjoy it. She took gifts politely from her fans, and thanked them in return. Finally, when the bell rang for class, she and the other student council members made sure that everyone was out of the hall, unless they had a pass. Then, they too found themselves slipping into their class rooms to begin their learning day.

It wasn't until lunch time that she found a break, setting up her lunch inside of the currently empty student council room. Though Natsuki was due for another lunch detention, they would make the most of it, forgetting the idea that it was to be a punishment. Instead, their chosen conversation was one that currently, they had to keep away from their respective homes.

"I still thing you're seeing things." Natsuki said casually, taking a swig of her fizzy soda. "I mean, they're best friends, why wouldn't they choose to be together all the time?" Having chosen her usual spot, in the corner of the faculty desk, she reached over for another triangle of sandwich. "We were best friends too…" Her cheeks colored pink at that, still unused to the prospect of what they really were to each other, and Natsuki really didn't take comfort in labeling it.

"That's just it." Shizuru nodded. "We were best friends, now, we're more."

"Uh…" Natsuki fiddled with the napkin in her hands at that, trying to rid them of the extra mayo that had oozed from between the bread and lunchmeat. "Yeah...so, what does that have to do with our moms?"

"They have coffee together almost every morning." Shizuru began slowly. "Well, tea and coffee, but they share every morning they can together. There are times one of them ends up working late, not to mention, my mother stays over at your place every time I do." The facts were hard to miss, but Natsuki was all too happy to overlook them. "Don't you find that odd?"

"Not really." Natsuki muttered with a careless shrug. "My mom's always had really long hours…and your mom's the weird one. She works, even though she doesn't have to." Not really thinking deeply on the implications, Natsuki paused, almost considering shoving the last chunk of sandwich into her mouth, as if that might save her. She thought better of it. "As far as the sleeping over thing goes, it's always been like that…so what makes you think that they're…umm." Natsuki crossed her fingers, implying what she still had difficultly saying.

"They just seem like it." Shizuru said, a bit lost for words. "My mom and dad hardly ever see each other, so I suppose it would be easy for them to do something like that."

"Maybe, but our moms…together, like _that_?" Natsuki muttered slowly, a shiver working its way down her spine. "Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions?" Natsuki felt quite full after that, losing her appetite. "Shizuru, they like guys…" She said awkwardly, fumbling over what she wanted to say. "We wouldn't be here if they didn't take some interest in them."

"Natsuki, my parents had an arranged marriage." Then, Shizuru leaned in, speaking a little quieter, just in case the walls had ears. "Whatever commitment they share…love isn't part of it at all…besides, you know my father hardly stays at the house anymore…I have half-siblings, even if I am the only one named the heir. They may not be blood relatives, but he considers them his children all the same." There was a tiny bit of bitterness lacing her words. "What type of proper husband does that? What sort of proper wife allows things to go on that way?"

"I've got a half-sister too, and she is blood related. Who the hell cares?" Natsuki replied then, an old anger bubbling to the surface again. "At least your dad isn't an asshole."

"Natsuki really." Shizuru shook her head. "That's not the point."

"Yeah, I know, I know." Natsuki sighed, feeling the pressure of crimson eyes. "See, that's the thing. Our moms hang out so much because they don't have anything better to do." Natsuki said, as if it were obvious. "Come on, you know it's lonely for her there at that big house, all alone like that."

"Yes, Natsuki, she probably is lonely." It was also why Shizuru was beginning to get concerned. The older and wiser that she got, the more she realized, and the more she looked at her life, and what it had become. "Your apartment is two bedrooms…we stay in one, they stay in the other…but, I'm almost sure neither of them sleep on the floor." Looking away sadly, she sighed. "I'm sure you understand what that implies."

"Yeah, the sofa isn't comfortable." Natsuki groused. "And, they're good friends who can trust each other…Shizuru, really, we've been sharing a bed since we were little too…they didn't think anything of that until just a few weeks ago."

"They still don't think anything of it." Shizuru shrugged, remembering an awkward conversation her mother had brought up a while back. "Only that they believe we might be having sex."

"Shizuru!" Natsuki half shouted. "Yell it to the whole damn school, why don't you." Her face was colored deeply, and before she knew it, she was shoving some nearby fruit into her mouth to hide her embarrassment. "Besides, it's not like…" She trailed off, her mouth full of food, swallowing hard as she fought down her blush. "Didn't we agree to wait until after high school?"

"Natsuki, it's alright, you know." Shizuru said then quietly, looking up from the chair she was in. Lifting one hand to Natsuki's knee, she began drawing soft, but comforting circles on it. "I'm not in any hurry…they're just thinking that way. I'm sure it's the easiest conclusion to come to."

"Yeah…" Natsuki muttered then. "That's exactly why I think you're just seeing things." Emerald eyes met crimson in an honest, but worried stare. "It's the easy thing to assume…but we don't know that…and, let's face it, they are really good friends."

Shizuru let the matter drop, but she still remained unconvinced. Natsuki seemed all too happy to stay oblivious to the facts, and Shizuru decided that wasn't entirely a bad thing. Afternoon classes sped by, something the students were thankful for as they escaped to club rooms for the bus to go home.

Natsuki wasn't in such a hurry as she straddled her bike, waiting for Shizuru's student council meeting to be done. Natsuki didn't pay any mind to the rumbling clouds, not even when it rained, falling from the sky in a slow drizzle that made everything damp and unpleasant. Natsuki had driven Shizuru back to her home, where the large, empty house seemed foreboding under the thick, dark clouds.

She unclasped the helmet after parking in the driveway, frowning as her hair fell over her rain dampened back. "It doesn't look like anyone's home." Natsuki said, taking a look to the upper floors, all of the rooms were unlit, and she didn't like leaving Shizuru by herself. "Why not just come back to the apartment with me."

"Or, you could just stay here." Shizuru's hopeful request almost begged for that.

Natsuki shook her head. "I can't tonight." She thought back to all of the things she had to get done, a vexing frown falling over her once calm features. "Half of the notes I need for class are back at my place. Math was a killer since we were issued nearly three pages of homework, and I think I've found a new reason to hate my history class."

"Natsuki sounds quite busy, I probably shouldn't impose on her studying." Shizuru replied, unsure if she should take Natsuki up on her offer or not. She loved to be by Natsuki's side, but she often wondered if they maybe spent too much time together. "I'll be alright here. Someone is bound to come home sooner or later."

"Yeah…no, not happening. I'm not leaving you here on your own." Natsuki said then, the possessiveness she normally kept well away from her day to day life, bubbling from within. "Get back on the bike, you're coming home with me."

Shizuru smiled at that. "If Natsuki insists." She said, though inwardly she felt a wave of relief, knowing just how much her friend cared for her, even if she wasn't keen on announcing that to the world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Apples of Our Eyes 4**

It hadn't been a surprise to see that the girls were rushing out of the door once again, though, this time, Natsuki would have forgotten her schoolbag entirely if Shizuru hadn't remembered to grab hold of it. The rain had cut the power to the house during the night, and as such, it was Saeko's phone that alerted everyone to the late start they inevitably had. Saeko feigned disinterest at their antics and shook her head. She looked over at her watch, and noticed that the time was unusually late. Suzume's tea sat waiting for her, alas, she had yet to come. Saeko frowned at that, and inspected the clock on the wall, wondering idly if her watch was somehow wrong.

It wasn't.

The abnormality startled her, even if only slightly. She didn't call or text the woman of her affections, knowing that if there was an issue of any kind, that would only cause further trouble. She pondered a bit about Suzume's less than interested husband, wondering of that might have something to do with it, but she knew better. He was hardly interested in doing any more than hold rare conversations with Suzume about their daughter. Anything beyond that, he kept his nose out of. After a few moments passed, she decided to simply leave a note for the often busy woman she waited for, choosing then to shower, and leave for work as soon as she could afford.

Her commute was a long one, and it was addled further by her lack of serenity. Her mind loved to spin webs, and she so often found themselves tangled in them. She had only just arrived at her office when she realized her morning had been spent brooding, and over nothing at that. "Trouble in paradise?" The voice caught Saeko off her guard, but soon she replied.

"I have no idea what you're talking about..." She unlocked her door, and stepped through, knowing her much shorter comrade would probably follow her. "Has my new equipment arrived yet?"

"Yeah, Greer picked it up last night." The woman said with a bored nod. "The idiot probably left it in his office."

"It doesn't matter, as long as it's arrived." Then with an afterthought, she checked her office phone. No calls where there either. "Did anyone leave an invoice for me?" She asked then, praying that Suzume had contacted her that way.

"No." Gal finally replied with a raised eyebrow. "Should they have left something?"

"No, it was simply a question." Saeko laughed at her own foolishness. "I'm not really expecting anything."

"Uh-huh." Gal didn't believe that, but sipped on the mug of slop that she called coffee. "This wouldn't have anything to do with that woman that comes around every so often, would it?"

"Did she stop by today at all?" Saeko returned, trying to hide that interested gleam in her eyes again as she looked up from some written notes.

"No." Gal said all too quickly. "But then again, she doesn't normally come around when you're not here."

"No, she wouldn't would she? That would be too easy." Saeko muttered, tossing her papers to the side, and cursing herself for even thinking that her inward mind could conjure such an idea. "She'll turn up, eventually."

"I wouldn't doubt that." Gal chuckled as she waved Saeko off. "I'll be down in the labs if you need me."

Saeko knew that was the case and agreed. She'd also have to go down later herself.

Suzume would eventually show up, in spite of everything that came at them, and with that thought in mind, she decided to get some water ready for steeping a teabag or two. It wasn't the woman's favorite type of tea, in fact, she hated the idea of it, but beggars couldn't be choosers. It was either that, or the slurry that Saeko considered coffee. Suzume hated coffee at all cost, so, teabags it was.

When Suzume finally arrived, she looked tired, and strung out. She leaned heavily on the door, as a sigh slipped past her lips. Exasperation sat at the edges of her features, as long flowing tresses of fawn held up in a tight braid were released by their prison. "I'm sorry that I was late." She murmured in a heated sigh, her fingertips running through her hair, coaxing those long tendrils into soft waves. "I was caught in a dispute, Tadao is being his usual pigheaded self."

"Something to do with Shizuru?" Saeko asked knowingly. It was the only time the married couple really shared words anymore. "Her future, perhaps?

"If only it were that easy." Suzume corrected as she came around to rest, leaning heavily on Saeko's desk, thumbing through papers that the woman was clearly sorting. "He and I both agreed, it's time to come to terms with the truth. He never really loved me anyway, so…" She sighed with a shake of her head. "It's just, I hate the word."

"Divorce, go ahead, you can say it." Saeko laughed gently. "It isn't the end of the world."

"That's just it." Suzume replied, a slight tremble in her voice. "It's like a breath of fresh air, and it's overwhelming."

"When do you plan to tell Shizuru?" The question fell heavily over them, because if there was one concern everyone had, it was Shizuru. A silence fell between them. Saeko's question went unanswered. When she looked up to Suzume's gaze, there was a lingering hesitation, one she'd seen before. They all had their demons, she supposed, so with a sigh, she just laughed gently, a soft bitterness behind the action. "She'll be okay."

"Maybe." Suzume relented. "I just don't want her to feel some sort of resentment for something she has no control over." She was thankful when Saeko all but shoved a coffee mug filled with tea into her hands. She could feel the shorter woman gazing at her with deeply concerned emerald eyes, and she wanted to melt into them, and into an embrace. "I don't want her to get hurt."

"She's going to get hurt." Saeko replied quietly. "I hate to tell you this, but honey, the damage has already been done. It's been festering for years, under the surface." Saeko had seen it, that distant withdrawn fury was something she understood well by now. Natsuki had that same look in her eyes after all, a resentment burning deeply someplace she cared not to address. "Shizuru's good at hiding things, and god knows she learned that from you."

"I've tried my best, it's all I can do." Suzume replied, looking down at her watch. "Well, I have an audit to perform for the Suzushiro's construction company. I'd love to stay, but duty calls."

"Dinner at my place." Saeko told her then. "We can order in and watch campy old movies all night."

"Such a romantic." The jibe was a soft one, hidden beneath a smirk. "Where will the girls be?"

"It's Tuesday." Saeko said with a shrug. "Natsuki has track and field practice, and then I believe that her study group will be meeting over at Mai's dorm tonight. Chances are, Shizuru will tag along. We won't see them until well after dark, if they come home at all. Chances are, I'll be getting a phone call at around nine tonight with that answer."

"Wonderful, and that means my daughter will likely be sleeping over at the dorm as well, correct?" Suzume wondered aloud, giving Saeko a searching glance before putting her now empty mug down. "It's moot I suppose, Natsuki will look after her, I'm sure."

"The two of you don't talk anymore, do you?" Saeko asked then, such a question had been turning in her mind for months now. "Natsuki and I aren't always civil to each other, and god knows I'm not mother of the year…but at least when she's cursing at me, I know how she feels." She put a hand over Suzume's own. "What happened that you can't even talk to your own child?"

It was a sad smile, and it spoke everything Suzume wouldn't say. "I've got to go to work." She murmured.

With a kiss of farewell, Saeko sat back down at her desk after Suzume left. She knew what happened, and it wasn't out of the ordinary…life happened. Time got away from them, and Saeko had hardly even noticed it had gone by so fast. Two little girls willing to gush about every little detail in their lives had grown up. They were adolescents now, far less willing to come to them over every little detail. Weather it was Natsuki's bullheaded nature to do things on her own, or Shizuru's composed disposition, there was one thing that was undeniable.

Their girls weren't talkers…and, truth be told, that was a trait that all four of them shared.

…

It was late by the time they got back from Mai's, and even though Natsuki called Saeko, telling them she'd be late, she didn't exactly realize how late that was going to be. Getting a flat tire put them an hour past their already extended curfew. By the time they got home by eleven, and Natsuki muttered her explanation, the only thing they desired to do was take a bath, and go to bed.

Thankfully, no one was particularly angry, but, the teens noticed the off color looks they were shot as they both walked into the bathroom shutting the door behind them. They finished bathing quickly, before anyone could comment on them taking too long, something that Saeko had done in the past in a joking manner.

They shared Natsuki's bed, and for them, that was a normal thing. Natsuki really didn't think much of it, most of her friends called her dense, especially since many of them suspected something else was going on between them. Still, Natsuki liked it better, found herself much less stressed out in fact, when she didn't think about romantic things. It just wasn't her style, and she was okay with leaving most of her worldly desires unspoken. There was something uncomfortable about admitting that she liked to feel Shizuru in her arms, or that, while bathing, she was just as much as fault for letting her eyes wander around as Shizuru was.

She didn't even want to admit to herself that Shizuru's long, smooth legs, were tangled with hers. She even tried to ignore that she had a momentary brush with soft fabric that she knew to be panties. Natsuki swallowed hard, watching the flickering television that she kept in the corner of her room, though the sound was muted. She needed something, anything to stare at while Shizuru slept, because god knew she wouldn't fall asleep if she kept being so observant of the person next to her.

Without prior warning, she let loose a surprised and disgruntled squeak when she felt Shizuru's wandering hands, and with a huff of breath she looked over beside her. "Cut that out."

"Natsuki's obsessing." Shizuru said quietly. "It's cute, but it's a bad habit."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't obsess if you kept particular things to yourself." She muttered, her eyes had caught a flash of silky skin from Shizuru's thigh before she yanked the blanket over to stop her own temptations, looking away as soon as a heated feeling came to her cheeks. "You're even wearing lacy things tonight."

"Well, I have to be prepared, in case Natsuki decides to break our promise." Shizuru said with a wink, her lips finding a sensitive spot on Natsuki's neck.

Natsuki yelped, falling out of bed from the shock, causing Shizuru to giggle again. "Don't do that!" Natsuki whispered loudly. "You'll wake up our wardens."

"So what?" Shizuru asked then as she leaned over, kissing Natsuki atop of her head. As the younger of the two of them sat on the floor trying to catch her breath, she merely toyed with the long midnight hair that saw fit to hide Natsuki's eyes. "They won't find us in a compromising position, so you shouldn't particularly mind if they come barging in."

"You're right." Natsuki admitted, but she didn't like it. "But Shizuru..." Natsuki looked away again, still not entirely comfortable about think of her best friend in such lights. After all, it was Shizuru who came onto her, and while the thoughts weren't unpleasant, they did wage war in her mind. "Even if I collect that kind of stuff, I don't know how I feel about you wearing those kinds of things around me…especially if the only other thing covering you is one of my baggy shirts."

Shizuru looked down, a soft smile playing on her lips. The shirt was indeed baggy on Natsuki, but, it wasn't when Shizuru wore it. She pulled the hem down past her hips as far as it would go, and then covered the rest of her long legs under the sheets. "This is just like when we first started kissing." Shizuru said, arching her eyebrow seductively. "If you play around a little, chances are, you'll find out exactly how you feel about it."

"Hell no." Natsuki hissed, refusing to do that, as her breath all but rushed out of her at the mere thought. "Our parents are in the next room…and I'm not doing _that_ in this tiny apartment." Her mouth ran dry, and she begged Shizuru to understand her dilemma with her eyes. "What if the walls are paper thin?"

Shizuru considered that, nodding that it did make just a little bit of sense. God forbid anyone barge in on the two of them if something really was going on, knowing it would likely destroy Natsuki if that happened. She relented with a breath. "Come back to bed Natsuki." She said then. "I promise, I'll be good."

"You'll have to be a saint!" Natsuki growled, tossing her a pair of pajama pants. "And put those on."

Shizuru grinned, suppressing her amusement as much as possible before she relented and did as Natsuki asked. When the younger girl finally climbed back into bed, Shizuru was surprised to find a very sudden depth in emerald orbs, and her breath caught. Natsuki studied her so intently, her usually pouty lips tightening into a thin line, as if she struggled with some cosmic question she hadn't found the words for. "Natsuki?" Shizuru asked, her voice hardly there at all.

"Nah, it's nothing." Natsuki replied, pulling Shizuru down on top of her, as their heads hit the pillows. "Don't worry about it, Shizuru." Her whisper came as she turned off the flickering television that cast light into the room. "It was nothing bad, it was just about the future." Natsuki tossed the remote aiming for the dresser, but it clattered to the floor instead.

…

The remote smacked against the connecting wall, giving the two in the other room a start.

"Did you hear that?" Saeko muttered from her place between the sheets. "What are those two up too?"

"Likely, the selfsame thing we were up too, and the very thing we will be up too again in the morning." Suzume murmured heatedly, kissing Saeko on the collarbone. "Try to relax would you, stress isn't good for your body."

"You don't have a problem with this?" Saeko asked heatedly in a murmur. "Our children could be in Natsuki's room having sex, and you aren't bothered by it?" Without her glasses on, it was quite easy to see her lament glinting in her eyes, but Suzume merely kissed her again, to keep her from getting up. "How can you simply ignore it?"

"I'm not completely alright with it, because as you've said, they're both so young. Still, this is not a wise battle to fight." Suzume told Saeko quietly, as she placed soft kisses along the nape of her neck. "They're figuring things out…if that's the case, I would much rather that they figure it out someplace I know they're safe." She pushed a few strands of hair behind Saeko's ear, offering a soft, but stern expression. "The last thing I want them doing, is thinking they have to hide from either one of us, because lord knows where they'll go if they decide that."

The mere thought of either one of those girls trying to sneak quickies in other places didn't appeal to Saeko either, and she knew exactly what it was like to be young and stupid. She threw caution to the wind a few times in her life too, and that didn't always yield happy results. "Alright, you win. I won't say or ask anything…for now." She sighed.

"That's good, just give them a little time, Saeko." Suzume murmured. "That's all I ask."

Saeko heard the distinctive buzzing of her cellphone and glanced at the caller, pushing the ignore button. "I'm not here." She said, putting her phone into the drawer as she rolled back over, the feeling of dark silken sheets caressing her skin. "The world can get by without me for one night."

"Don't frown." Suzume murmured, running her fingers through the soft tresses of long midnight hair. "It doesn't suit you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Apples of Our Eyes 5**

Wednesdays were busy days for Shizuru, as she took the day off of normal, regular education, and instead spent the day up at the community center, taking preparation courses for a fast track to university. She could have opted out of it if she wanted to, but it made her father happy. Besides that, she couldn't deny that she enjoyed the time away from the high school campus. It was quiet here, and there weren't as many teenagers. Instead, most of the campus often occupied young adults just entering the university scene, or, old hands coming back to continue their education.

She felt like she was on equal footing here, and that she wasn't idolized.

There was something comforting about that, because here, she wasn't one of the popular girls. She was simply regular Shizuru, of the Fujino family, studying to become head of her father's investment firm. There were a few other children of upper class families that attended these courses, so, she had no real need to feel out of place. She could study here in relative peace, and enjoy the often simple conversations that one didn't find in a high school.

Well, at least normally. However, Haruka was also one to attend the classes, and they shared a study group as an indirect result.

"You're faculty at the academy, you could get Kuga to stop riding that contraction." Haruka groused as she crossed her arms, quite unhappy about the motorist known for havoc on the high school's well kempt grounds.

"You mean contraption, and honestly, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." One of the redheads next to her lamented over her lunch. Bored, and without much to do now that their classes were finally over, she stirred her parfait with an absentminded twirl of her spoon. "Shizuru, tell your friend there to buzz off, would ya?"

She looked up from her papers, finding one of the teachers at Fuka with a history major going back to school also. She wanted to major in archeology, and teaching was only a part time thing. Shizuru didn't pay any particular mind to that, as it wasn't any of her concern. She smiled at Midori before addressing her blond acquaintance. After morning classes, they would sit together, but, it didn't mean they were always cordial. "Haruka we should leave Fuka matters at Fuka, don't you agree?"

"No…" Haruka rumbled needing a distraction. "We've got to keep an eye on it, we're not out of there yet, you know." She looked down at her lasts test scores. "What did you guys get for question twenty, on page three?"

"It's a trick question. The answer is entirely up to debate, and up to your interpretation on how the government ran back in those days." Midori replied as she leaned over the table, turning Haruka's workbook to the proper page. "This page here talking about the lifestyle of the people who lived in the Edo period, read the chapter and come up with your own conclusion. It's not hard."

Another much older woman, who was also a staff member at Fuka, was headed strictly for the sciences. Even though these history classes didn't apply heavily to her field of study, she was also middling around with a minor in anthropology, and took history as a basic perquisite. However, even if that wasn't the case, it went unspoken that her friendship with Midori dictated her presence among their group. "If you're going to go to the feeder university like we do, you'll tend to find that most of the teachers expect long winded thesis's, backed up by solid facts…at least for the history programs."

"Yoko, that's going to go right over Haruka's head." Midori laughed as she dragged herself out of teacher mode. She knew exactly how hard the blond would have it. "Haruka, you are really strong in math and science. Maybe you shouldn't be looking into politics as a first choice…in fact, as your history tutor, I would advise against it."

"I don't really want to take over a construction company." Haruka muttered bitterly. "I want to work alongside of Yukino, and that means getting some type of law degree." She thumbed through her workbook and sighed. "It isn't the first time I've been told that I'm better with my hands than with my books."

Shizuru could only nod her head to that. "Although, part of that comes with lineage, Haruka. Your don't have any men in the family to carry on the name, I'm sure your father wants to keep the money in the family for as long as he can."

"Don't you think I get that?" Haruka shot back levelly. "I'm not stupid."

"You're right. You most certainly aren't stupid." Shizuru replied, pushing aside her inclination to titter around the bush. "In spite of that, you are hot headed. It's true that you'd belong in a straightforward environment, as you are such a person to only see things in black and white." Shizuru shrugged and returned to her own notes. "Law has a lot of areas that simply aren't so. Sometimes, there is no correct answer, and you don't do well with that."

"Talk about a heavy handed future." Yoko sighed. "You know, I was lucky that I got to choose my own career path without my parents nagging me about it." Then with an off colored smirk, she looked at Midori, offering the redhead a quick wink. "Though, they weren't fond of my late night habits."

"They were fine, parents are supposed to be uptight." Midori laughed, though in truth, she did worry about the two high school students trying to dive head first into university courses. "You guys might need to just relax a bit, you know? I think maybe you're pushing yourselves too hard."

"Yes, well unfortunately that happens when a family has the influence. Our parents have the clout to get what they want, and we have very little say in that." Shizuru explained, mostly for Haruka's benefit. "Our families deal with each other quite a bit. You could say that between Haruka's family, Yukino's, and my own, we might garner more power than may be appropriate."

That had Midori chuckling again. "Not to mention that the Kikukawa family has had a strong dealing in politics and law for years." Midori muttered, not envying the futures those two had as a possible outcome. "What I don't get, is how your family came into so much money, so soon Haruka. Mean, how does that even happen?"

"Blame the Fujino's." Haruka said as she closed her books and packed up for the day. "If it wasn't for them, my father wouldn't have taken out a huge loan to boost his staff and outreach. Anyway, I need to get out of here, Yukino's needs help with her election stuff for school. I told her I'd help her get everything set up before I graduate."

Shizuru looked down at her watch. "I have to be going too." She said, noticing the time was later than she expected. "I have to meet my mother at the plaza within the hour."

"I'll take you there." Haruka offered. "I pass by the plaza anyway."

…

She had arranged a lunch meeting with her daughter late in the afternoon, deciding it would be best for the two of them to spend the meal together, alone and without outside influences. The restaurant had private rooms, usually made for corporate use. She had rented one out simply so that whatever reaction she received from her daughter, would be for her eyes alone.

She even went through the ordeal to select a gentle Riesling, a somewhat mild wine with a sweet flavor. It was the perfect accompaniment for lighter meals, or deserts. Best when served chilled, the simple apricot and peach flavors drifted over her tongue smoothly. The particular wine was of German make, and was one of the family's newest investment deals. She hoped it would suit Shizuru's refined tastes.

There were plenty of investment opportunities, and the Fujino's offered their expertise where they saw fit. For Suzume, it was the arts, and for Tadao it was industry. To say she sampled the finer things was a gross understatement, as Suzume's share of the company alone was more than enough to put most piggybanks to shame. The woman thought of this with a withdrawn understanding that she had been lucky to be married to such man that didn't concern himself with things that didn't appeal to him.

Suzume expected that any other man might have tried to control her, but Tadao didn't particularly mind one way or the other. The indifference was a difficult thing, surely, but it was also a reprieve. At least, it would be, if her own child didn't also seem to share that same, often disinterested gaze. Suzume knew that Shizuru had other places she would rather be, and accepted that fact with another gulp of wine to settle her nerves.

With a breath, she forced herself to clear the dead silence of the room. "You know, Shizuru, for all of the fine amenities our lifestyle offers to us, I can't help but feel as if we've merely settled." She hoped that her opening would make Shizuru agreeable, but it seemed as if her child was unmoved by the words. "It seems as if our lives are substandard at best."

"What is this about?" Shizuru asked as she sipped from her glass, the table large and empty between them. "This can't be about pleasantries. I'm positive of that."

"What indeed?" There was an odd formality about them when they were alone together, and Suzume didn't like that. "Tell me, when was it that you became such a socialite?" Her mother asked as she stood, meandering about the room, gazing at the Italian murals that painted the walls. "Was it the sermons at the church? The tea parties, or perhaps it was those meetings your father and I forced you to observe when you were merely a child?" She regretted the heavy handedness, even now. "I wonder, was it merely the refinery we thrust onto you, forcing you to accept it as daily life?"

"I've never thought of myself as that." Shizuru said quietly. "I don't see the need, it's everyone else that does."

"Maybe because you fraternize with common people, you've forgotten your true place." Suzume laughed gently. "It's a gift, truly, to be so blind." Her wistful voice carried over the air. "I wish I could be."

"Mother, what…" She took another sip of her wine, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry. "What is the matter? You've been acting strangely recently."

"So have you." Suzume returned gently. "Let's be realistic, shall we?" Suzume murmured as she turned to face her one and only child. "No matter who might come along in your future, you won't accept any man that you may come across."

"This is about him, isn't it?" Shizuru could pinpoint that feeling of dread anywhere. Her father was the topic of this, perhaps even the seedling that sparked this meeting, she was sure. "He's still believes I should have an arranged union, doesn't he?" Shizuru asked then as her mother wordlessly nodded. They could both inwardly agree at the displeasure in the matter. "I have no desire."

"I know that, dear." Suzume replied. "I also know that although you refuse to admit it outwardly, Natsuki's the reason why." A knock came at the door as their lunch arrived, and Suzume sat down to enjoy the many sampler platters that she'd ordered, to ensure the quality of this particular restaurant. Another venture of hers, and little more. "I'm going to be blunt with you. You're young, Shizuru." She said, draping the napkin across her lap. "You have options, and you'd do well to explore them."

"Mother, please, don't bring Natsuki's name into our family affairs." She said, trying to brush that topic away as carefully as she could. "She's merely a friend, and little more." Natsuki would have wanted it that way, as their relationship was most comfortable between them when it continued to stay undefined. It shouldn't matter to anyone else, and that's what Shizuru believed.

"Perhaps, I wouldn't begin to presume anything otherwise." Suzume replied with a small, inward smirk. "Unless, of course, there is something otherwise to presume in the first place. There isn't, I should hope?"

A young set of crimson eyes closed with a fluttering of eyelids, hiding the true emotion within them. A deep sigh followed, as Shizuru struggled to keep her wits about her. "You're stalling." The accusatory tone cut to the heart of the matter, and no matter if Shizuru noticed it or not, she had become a shrewd woman when it came to such topics. Ruthless in her pursuits, Shizuru most emulated Tadao in that regard. Her goal was always so forthcoming, and yet, required no statement. If she chose to speak it, it would sharp like a knife. "Mother, what are you hiding from me?"

The probing question deserved a like-minded reply. "I'm divorcing your father." Suzume replied coolly, as if he was merely an afterthought. "Upon your graduation, you will be an adult. He and I have thus lived up to our promise to each other, and will have our marriage ended." Inwardly, she withheld the truth. Their marriage had ended emotionally years ago. They could not bring themselves to love each other, and goodness knew that they'd tried, very hard to do so.

"Excuse me?" Shizuru had been expecting many things, the topic of an affair at the forefront of her mind, yet she'd been blindsided by this. "That's a bit extreme…not to mention unwarranted." Shizuru said feeling a hint of panic rising from within. "How…how on earth did you come to that outcome?"

"It happens." Suzume shrugged. "I have no explanation that will gift you any sort of comfort, so I'll choose not to say anything at all." She had her own secrets after all, and she wouldn't voice them to her clearly addled daughter. "As far as I'm concerned, he can have whatever he wants. The company, the house, even my dignity...but I want the rest of my life free to be with, and do as I wish."

"You can't mean that." Shizuru replied then, as the sense of awe began to subside.

"I can't bring myself to be bothered by what he takes. Just as long as he signs those damnable papers." Suzume murmured heatedly. She glanced up at her child, and offered a bitter smile. "You're still the rightful heir, and you're entitled to many things because of it, but, that comes with its own set of burdens."

"I understand." Shizuru nodded, feeling a cold chill drift down her spine in a way it had never done before. "I'll keep that in mind."

Suzume looked up from her meal, and set down her silverware. "You hate this, don't you?" She asked, wanting to know the true feelings glimmering from behind crimson eyes, so much like her own, that it often frightened Suzume. "To know that he and I are finally separating bothers you, doesn't it?"

There was a tense feeling, and Shizuru tried desperately to avoid that line of thought. "No…" She said placidly, struggling to find the right words to speak. "Nothing like that. I was just wondering why you waited so long."

"To protect you, of course." Suzume replied. "You know how our relatives are. Think of what they would say, and what answers they will expect from you." Suzume shook her head. "Your father and I wanted you to be old enough to decide for yourself. You're the heir to the company, and to the burdens that our family carries. We wanted you to have a voice, and choose for yourself the type of response you would give. Since you are now a senior in high school, the choice is forthcoming anyway. Your future is upon you."

"I suppose that it is." Shizuru swallowed hard at that. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"I've said all that I need to say on that subject." Suzume nodded. "However, that doesn't mean you need to leave as if I'm sort of some deranged monster. We've not had a proper chance to talk recently Shizuru, and that bothers me."

"It happens." Shizuru brushed the comment away. "I wouldn't be worried about it."

"You're a teenager, of course you wouldn't." Suzume laughed before sipping on more of her wine. "Young ladies always have some place that they'd rather be. Lord knows that I did, back when I was your age. It was never with my family, I hated them so much, Shizuru."

"I'm sorry then, because I do have someplace I need to be." She wasn't sure just how much she could say without casting undue suspicion. Still, they could dance eloquently around the topic, or, simply agree that secrets were never meant to be spoken. It was time to fight fire with fire. "Mother, you have your assumptions on what my life is, and I have mine on yours." She gathered her purse and nervously ran her thumb along the fine leather of the black strap. "Those assumptions include people who are not the most willing to share admittedly uncomfortable information."

With an uplifted eyebrow, Suzume could admit that was entirely true. She sipped on her wine one last time, nodding her agreement on such words. It called forth other questions, however she was sure Shizuru wouldn't be willing to answer most of them. She settled with a safe one. "How long have you known?"

Shizuru offered a small, awkward smile at that. "A better question would be; how long until Natsuki stumbles into it?" Shizuru shook her head. "Or how long until her mother makes a discovery that Natsuki herself has no words for?"

Suzume got the clear implication that Shizuru wouldn't be willing to speak at any length about the rather unsettling topic, if it was not a self-loathing admission. "Shizuru, it discomforts Saeko, and you deserve to know why."

"I should think so." Shizuru nodded, easing her stance, willing to listen.

"I've always wanted more than one child." Suzume replied quickly. "I hoped that you and Natsuki would grow close…and that you would at least experience some form of bond with her." It was silly to think of now, of course, but the attempt had been there, none the less. "Saeko felt similarly when it came to Natsuki's lack of family. Natsuki was an antisocial child, and that worried Saeko to no end. We all seemed to do everything together, I thought the two of you would be more like siblings than anything else." She bit her lip and looked away. "Imagine my surprise when I began to realize you had other intentions. Natsuki wasn't the only one you blindsided."

"I understand." Shizuru could at least relent to that, and before she took her leave, she nodded. "However, Natsuki and I weren't sisters…and you and her mother were merely playing house." To say that such a little dream backfired would be an understatement, but, all in all, Shizuru didn't mind that. "I trust you'll keep her mother at bay for a while longer…Natsuki's fragile right now. I think being together with me frightens her, even if it is just a little bit. The ones she's nearest with, are the ones she's most fragile around."

Suzume didn't need to be told that, she already knew all too well just what sort of impact this could have on the Kuga women. She instead, decided that Saeko wasn't the only one who needed to be eased into the uncomforting realities. "Then I assume that you'll continue to warm Natsuki up to the facts. I'll be blunt by agreeing with you, that what her mother and I share isn't strictly platonic." Suzume replied in kind. "however, Saeko is equally unwilling to say anything of it."

"We aren't going to be able to suppress the blowout on this one." Shizuru nodded, feeling a bit unsure of herself. "They're going to have a huge fight over this. You know that. It's going to be massive, the cursing and finger pointing alone will test their tempers to the max. They're too much alike to see eye to eye."

Of course Suzume knew that, and shook her head. "That's just the way they are."

"Yes." Shizuru agreed. "It is, isn't it?" Shizuru walked out and headed to the train station shortly thereafter. She had no need to turn the statement upon herself, knowing that she shared far too much with her own parents to deem herself exempt from such a fact. Still, her goal was to see Natsuki, not to dwell on things she knew she couldn't avoid.


End file.
